Happiest Girls in the Garden

Painted Daisies always make me smile.

May Night Salvia

Check out Mr. Bumble Bee cruising in for a landing. I didn't notice him until I downloaded these photos. :)

Mom's Peonies transplanted to my garden a few years back.

Purple Dames Rocket, Yellow Columbines and Mom's Purple Bearded Iris

I stole her yellow Bearded Iris, too. :))

* The happiest girl in the garden could very well be me.

Crazy Daisies

Mutant Painted Daisy?
I used to own a hippy skirt that looked just like this flower!

Found an old packet of Painted Daisy seeds earlier this year. Decided to test them in the sunny window to see what would grow.

They're supposed to bloom in solid colors of pink and purple and do so after I transplant them into the garden.

Instead they're blooming early with bizarre mutant patterns. Looks as if they're heading to a Grateful Dead concert.

I imagine this is all part of the rebellion.

My seedling army is unhappily biding it's time in the big, sunny window. Overdue for transplanting ~ the weather simply will not cooperate. These May days are far too chilly and I'm behind on most everything I've set out to do.

Speaking of Grateful Dead concerts, check out Buddy ~ doesn't he look high as a kite?

He dearly loves the Catmint perennials ~ which are just beginning to sprout. They'll reach 4 feet tall by end of June and flower a breathtaking true blue for the better part of the summer. Catmint is very mellow compared to Catnip. Bud sniffs the minty leaves, gets all dreamy-eyed and far too lazy to pester these little guys:

Quick ~ quick! What's the first sign of old age setting in? Is it...
A) Watching the birds?
B) Feeding the birds?
C) Giving a damn about the birds?
D) None of the above.

The correct answer is D. The first sign of old age is sitting in the office taking pictures out the window because I'm too tired to walk outside this morning. (Long live Photoshop.)

* Painted Daisies, Chrysanthemum coccineum, are hardy to -40 below zero (USDA zone 3) which means you poor fools in Alaska can finally plant some cheery flowers! They grow so quickly you might as well save the dough and sow by seed. 2 feet tall, drought tolerant.

Daisy Girls

Prairie Sun Rudbeckia 

It's seed planting time! Fresh seeds for the ever-growing Daisy garden are percolating in my sunny window.

I've been eagerly anticipating Friday ever since the Monday morning alarm went off. Life is busier than I think it should be. That's had me a tad grumpy all week long.

Forced to cancel Friday Afternoon [hiking] Club. On this bright & sunny, winter day I've been shackled to the computer doing all sorts of must do's vs. want to do's.

Giant Painted Daisies ~ Last year's batch bloomed in neurotic pink. Hoping for bright, happy red this time around.

It's been an odd week. Bad Dog took a road trip to Vegas. The dog gets invited on vacations and I do not. Go figure.

In the dismal little town of Mesquite, Nevada he experienced his first ever In & Out Burger. Has refused to eat kibble ever since.

White Knight Shasta Daisies: 3 feet high with the biggest blooms you've ever seen.

Some things I simply cannot bring myself to spend money on. Expensive gallon pots of Daisies, during gardening season, being one of those things. These gals bloom about the same time, at about the same height (3 feet tall) and if I were to purchase these one gallon bloomers in springtime it would set me back about $200. Or, $3.89 for the seeds.

Here's hoping you all have a marvelous weekend. I have to work. :(